ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Deepika Kurup from Nashua, N.H. was named the U.S. winner of the 2014 Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) — a prestigious international competition for water-related research — during a ceremony at the Hilton Dulles Airport Hotel in Herndon, Va., according to a press release.

Kurup’s project, “A Novel Photocatalytic Pervious Composite for Degrading Organics and Inactivating Bacteria in Wastewater” was selected from 48 state SJWP winners at the national competition that was held June 13-14, 2014.

Her research offers options for safe, cost-effective and eco-friendly wastewater treatment by integrating an enhanced photocatalytic advanced oxidation process with filtration using novel pervious composites, stated the release.

“The water sector is an ever-evolving profession that continually seeks new and innovative approaches to sustainable water management,” said Mohamed F. Dahab, chair of the SJWP Review Committee. “We were very impressed with the high caliber of research and creativity presented by Miss Kurup and all of the young men and women who participated in this year’s competition.”

Kurup received $10,000 and an all-expense paid trip to Stockholm, Sweden where she will represent the U.S. at the international competition during World Water Week, Aug. 31-Sept. 5, 2014.

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